A scary wine this Poujeaux. My two friends and I were wondering what to drink tonight with filet of beef in mushroom sauce when we noticed that the Poujeaux's cork was not ok: due to mechanical failure it was leaking and the bottle's level was mid-shoulder. We decided to open this and hope for the best but took out of my cabinet another Claret just in case. Obviously this was a recent calamity since the wine inside was positively youthful and in need of five more years age (i.e. Lafon-Rochet 98 went back to the cellar!). It was also a timely reminder of why I still buy Claret - the aftertaste of Claret is one of the most hauntingly beautiful I can think of: dry, savoury, leafy, greenish and so very fresh, not showy but perfectly poised. The Constance was a bit of a let down though a perfectly good wine its own right. I just am not a great fan of the grape in most of its incarnations.

1996 Château Poujeaux - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc (4/15/2006)Cedar, cassis - classic Bordeaux. The palate is still rather extracted and tannic but the fruit is showing very well at the moment. Lovely fresh and long aftertaste. Classic claret.

1998 Klein Constantia Muscat Vin de Constance - South Africa, Coastal Region, Constantia (4/15/2006)Deep gold. This is rotten to the core, apricotty and has a curious and pleasant metallic and smoky edge to it. The palate is also a touch smoky, fully rotten, very Muscatty and very intense. It has the odd metallic edge to the taste as well. Good but not great.

That's understandable: I had four bottles of this and they were so tasty that I only managed to keep this one until its 10th year. I'm drinking the remains of it today with my dinner and it is much better today - so unbelievably harmonious and fresh, aromatic and mineral. Definitely needs a few more years. Older Poujeaux can indeed occasionally be seen for quite cheap. I'll certainly be on the lookout for more.

I don't drink wine because of religious reasons ... only for other reasons.

Otto, I have had both the 98 and the 96 Poujeaux within the last year. Wonderful wines both, my notes on the 96 mirror yours. And it's the wine I love to recommend to people who dig California cabs and want to make the leap to Bordeaux. Very affordable and very expressive, yet serious.

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

Jenise wrote:Otto, I have had both the 98 and the 96 Poujeaux within the last year. Wonderful wines both, my notes on the 96 mirror yours. And it's the wine I love to recommend to people who dig California cabs and want to make the leap to Bordeaux. Very affordable and very expressive, yet serious.

Quite! The aromatics are pure Bordeaux but the extract is a little much, so I would imagine it is a great introduction to those weaned on Californian taxis. But maybe an easier first step would be Cambon la Pelouse - that's even more obviously New Worldly but with plentiful Bordeaux aromatics anyway?

Otto

I don't drink wine because of religious reasons ... only for other reasons.

Thanks for the notes...and the memories. I haven't had a Poujeaux in many years, but the '82 Poujeaux was the first Bordeaux I ever drank that really made my senses perk up and pay attention. Prior to that, I had mostly been drinking Cali wine. Perhaps it was the gateway drug!

Also, funny you should mention Cambon la Pelouse. I've never tasted it and didn't even know of it a few weeks ago. However, after recently encountering and enjoying the Lapierre-made Château Cambon Beaujolais rosé, I went Googling for info on Château Cambon and was overrun with raves for the Cambon la Pelouse. I appreciate you warning me off of it.

Thanks for the notes...and the memories. I haven't had a Poujeaux in many years, but the '82 Poujeaux was the first Bordeaux I ever drank that really made my senses perk up and pay attention. Prior to that, I had mostly been drinking Cali wine. Perhaps it was the gateway drug!

Also, funny you should mention Cambon la Pelouse. I've never tasted it and didn't even know of it a few weeks ago. However, after recently encountering and enjoying the Lapierre-made Château Cambon Beaujolais rosé, I went Googling for info on Château Cambon and was overrun with raves for the Cambon la Pelouse. I appreciate you warning me off of it.

Thanks,

Jim

Jim, I'm sort of glad and sort of not to have warned you off C la P. I'm trying to organise a small on-line tasting of the wine (as it is easily available almost everywhere) for the WT 101 on the other board. I was hoping we would get a few more people, but I guess I scared you away!

Otto

I don't drink wine because of religious reasons ... only for other reasons.

You haven't put me off so much that I wouldn't participate in a virtual group tasting. I just don't feel the need to seek this one out on its own merits.

What vintage were you considering? I can probably get the '99, '01, '02, and '03 out here in Tokyo (though I have to check availability, as things are often still listed on-line after they are sold out).

Jim, any vintage will do. I'm going with a 2003 but I know that some have older vintages. I was originally thinking of doing it with the 2003 but as that isn't yet available in many places it was decided that an on-line vertical is the way to go. We'll be opening and discussing probably on Sunday in 1½ weeks during the chat on the other board - though written notes are of course also welcome. Hope you (and anyone else here) make it!

Otto

I don't drink wine because of religious reasons ... only for other reasons.